The World Bank has announced plans to commit an additional US$750 million to increase Nigerians’ access to electricity through the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), according to a report by the new telegraph.
The report said the World Bank’s Director of Strategy and Operations for the Western Central African Region made this known while inspecting the 60 KiloWatts Mini-Grid Project in Kilankwa Community, Kwali Area Council of Abuja.
“This is the first national electrification project we see at work here, about $350 million is coming to a close, and we are preparing a successor project that will be $750 million.
“We are extending our support to something that we think is critical and Nigeria is leading the world in small grid development,” Ms Elizabeth Huybens said as carried by new telegraph.
The Kilankwa project would assist the country in providing access to electricity to more people faster than it could have done by just extending the national grid.
“So, I am very impressed that the grids in small communities work and there is also the foresight to think about how one can fully optimise the use of the electricity generated to expand productive activities.
“Like the rice mill that we have just seen, I hope that in the future, we will see a lot more of that,” she said.
She added that the project was considered because the bank believed that access to electricity by all was one of the most important goals to pursue by any country.
According to her, without electricity, it is hard to think about how communities can live, adding that kids cannot study at night.
“We cannot move toward electric vehicles if we don’t have electricity. You cannot even charge your cell phone without electricity.
“So, it is hard for me to think about modern life without electricity and it is hard for me to think about reducing poverty without access to electricity.
”And since the World Bank’s overarching goal is to help countries eradicate poverty, we need to help them provide access to electricity for its population,’’ Huybens said.
The Managing Director of REA, Mr Ahmad Salihijo said that the project was currently serving about 300 households and businesses.
Salihijo said that the project was developed by the World Bank under the Performance-Based Grant of NEP.
“This has been operational for some time now. So, we are privileged to have come here with the World Bank team to see how it is performing.
“We are working on ensuring productive use and also make sure that we have energy-efficient equipment connected to the mini-grid,” he said.
Yabo said that the project had assisted him to reduce the cost of diesel to run his business and enabled him to make more profit.
The event was put together by Think Energy Awards and powered by the African Global Response Energy Environment (AGREE) Limited, with support from the SDG Advisory Unit of the Office of the President, the Ministry of Energy and Ghana Gas Limited Company.
Second Lady Samira Bawumia was adjudged the Most Influential SDGs Leader in Africa. Energy Digest took home the SDGs Communication Award, former CEO of GNPC, Dr Kofi Koduah Sarpong, was given the SDGs Lifetime Award while Asaase Radio’s Emmanuel Aboagye-Wiafe picked the Energy Media Personality of the Year Award.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com 
Commenting on the award, Mr. Provencal proudly dedicated the award to the Board, Management and Staff of BOST, who, he said, are the pillars behind the massive turnaround of the company in the last couple of years.
He thanked the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for the opportunity to serve and the confidence reposed in him.
This recognition of BOST and its MD comes as the fourteenth over the past ten months reflecting the volume of work done at the company and the massive transformation, Mr. Provencal is leading the formidable State-Owned Enterprise.
In the citation, the MD of BOST was praised for reviving the company from ten years of losses into the profit zone and also bringing as much as 97 per cent of the assets of the company to revenue-earning status as against the past years of dilapidation and lack of activity.
This is the way to go if AFCFTA is to impact the lives of the people of Africa to break the long chains of poverty, ignorance and disease.
Mr. Provencal noted that for Africa to see massive progress, the public sector must be up and doing and share that positive energy with the private sector.
“Indeed, there are challenges, but these should not halt the progress of the continent and its people,”, he added.
Dr Claudius Williams-Tucker, the Country Director of Trans-Global Travel and Logistics of Sierra Leone was also celebrated at the event for his wonderful contributions towards the gradual changing of the fortunes of the continent.
In the construction category, Core Construction Limited and its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Frank Lartey of Ghana were also recognised at the event.
Africa’s Most Respected CEO Awards is targeted at honouring sterling leadership in the private and public sectors of Africa as the continent gears up to take full advantage of the AFCFTA to better the lives of the people.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com 
Dr Ackah said his outfit has ensured that renewable energy sources are run adding that their prices are passed through to protect investments and ensure customers get better service.
“We have implemented several reforms and one of them is the passage of guidelines for the energy sector. This is to ensure that consumers get access to net meters to help them have solar panels and sell some to the national grid when they get excess power.
“All these will help facilitate Ghana’s energy transition agenda,” he stated.
Dr. Ackah said the Commission uses postage stamp tariff to cushion power consumers in the rural to help accelerate socio-economic development in those deprived areas.
He encouraged minigrid and offgrid to meet Ghana’s 13 percent population without access to electricity.
Answering a question about how Ghana is helping women who constitute the majority of the population in the energy value chain, Dr. Ackah noted that women mostly use biomass for cooking stressing that it has health implications too.
He intimated that Ghana’s supply of sustainable energy like solar, LPG and other clean fuels would preserve women’s health and save their time.
The PURC boss also said that governments in Africa ought to intensify the supply of off-grid solutions to help small businesses like hairdressing and small shops to trigger economic development in rural communities.
